I Need Some Visual Aids For This One...

So... I promised more explanation about Lily. Since we woke up ungodly early this morning and are currently sitting in the family room of the hospital (Lily doesn't want to watch cartoons in our room) I'll 'splain.

Last Tuesday afternoon Lily started saying that her "Tummy owie." I watched her but didn't think much of it. By Wednesday, Lily didn't want to walk on her own or do anything but whimper and be held. I took her into the office for a few hours with me while I tried to get an appointment with our pediatrician. Lily sat on my lap, not saying anything the whole time we were at my office. Our dr. got us in during her lunch break (go Dr. Shar!) Dr. Shar immediately thought we should be admitted to the hospital. Now this is normally a laid back, let's wait and see sort of doctor, so when she says, "Let's admit Lily," it scares the heck out of me. I thought we were just going to get an antibiotic and go home.

Once in the hospital, the doctor and resident started the poking and prodding. They decided that this was much more serious (possible appendicitis or kidney infection) and scheduled a round of tests. We rode down to the radiology in a wheelchair, which was a huge deal for Lily. :) The ultrasound tech started saying things like, "what kind of medical device does she have in her tummy?" We discovered that she had a pin of some sort in her intestine. An X-ray confirmed it and determined it's exact location. The doctors felt that she would pass it on her own and wanted to take a wait and see approach. So... we started laxatives and an IV (she wasn't eating or drinking at all).

Thursday, another x-ray. Pin in same spot. More laxatives.
Friday, pin in the same spot. The docs decided that maybe solid food was in order (she had been on a very unappetising liquid diet). Maybe we would be able to continue the wait and see at home.
Unfortunately, after a short nap, Lily threw up her breakfast and was running a fever. The nurses called in our surgeon and he had us get another x-ray.
Pin in same spot.

The surgeon came in and asked a lot of questions about Lily's vomit and her pain. Most of the same questions he had been asking all along. Lily answered everything exactly the same way she had every day. When you ask her how she's doing, she says, "Pretty owie." The surgeon scheduled surgery immediately, thinking that the pin had perferated her bowel.

Taking her into surgery was one of the hardest things I've ever done. It was horrible and I almost cry just thinking about it. However, after about an hour, the OR called us in the waiting room and told us that the doc had removed the pin and things were looking good. After another hour, the doc came to see us.

He drew a picture something like this. The surgeon explained that the pin travelled through her stomach, into her small intestine, through the entire small intestine (we think without perforating anything!!), and through the valve into the large intestine. For some reason, instead of following the path of least resistance (and all common sense) the pin did not get passed through the comparatively large intestine. Instead it went through the tiniest possible opening into the appendix. The surgeon found the pin poking through the appendix.

This kid is truely a miracle. Instead of having to cut into the intestine and possibly having to do a bowel resection or something equally scary, the surgeon removed what's possibly the most useless organ in the body. You don't need your appendix and Lily will never miss hers!

If Lily does well and starts eating and drinking we should be able to go home. :)